Tapping-machine.



D. I EVINGER & 0. ANDERSON'.

TAPPmG MAcHlNE.. APPLICATION FILED IULY 28| IS'IG. l

Patented Jan. 29,1918.

2 SHEETS-#SHEET I.

D. LEVINGER L 0'. ANDERSON.

TAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 28.19%.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LNQ.

lplete machine; y f

Fig. 2 is a' vertical section on the 'plane 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the-direction of the DAVID LEVINGER AND` OLOF ANDERSON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

iaaavoa.

' Tarrina-MACHINE.

pplication filed July 28, 1916. Serial No. 111,762.

To all whom t may concern.' i i Be it known that we, DAVID LnvrNeER. and' OLoF ANDERSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in tlie county of Cook and Stateof lllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements n Tapping-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descrip-` tion.

This invention relates to a tapping machine, and more particularly to a machine for automatically guidingy articles tov be tapped from a hopper or storing means to the tapping mechanism.

increasing the operating speed and eiiiciency of tapping.

Another object consists in an improved and efficient means for automatically feeding the varticles to be tapped from a suitable hopper to the taps and then automatically ejecting the articles after they have been tapped. n

A 'further object consists in vautomatic means for reciprocating the feeding means and for automatically tapping the article at each stroke of the feede Y With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the appended claims. Y

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings lin which:`

Figure l is a front elevation of the com.-

arrows; j

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation partly in section -of the article ornut feeding Y and tapping mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the vertical slide which feedsthe nuts to the tap;

Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection of the vertical slide on the plan-e 5--5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 6 isa vertical section of the chuck which holds the tap, showing the method employed for ejecting the nuts after they have y*been tapped.

The machine consists of a horizontal base plate 6-Iiitted" with the key-ways 7and 8.

. The adjustable bases 22 and 23 are mounted onthe key-ways7 and 8 at either end ofthe f v One of the objects of this invention resides inmeans for greatly 'bracket 30 is an S-shaped bed plate 6 and carry the upwardly eXtending arms 1() and 24 and 9 and 25 which hold the bearings in which the shafts 11 and 12 are journaled. Mounted on each of the shafts 11 and 12 respectively are the cone pulleys l5 and 16 and the chucks 17 and-18 in which the taps 19 and 2O Vare held. To thejleft of the upright member 10 is secured a housing 35 in which is mounted a train of gear wheels (not` shown) which serve to drive the cam shaft 21. A housing 26 which incloses the chuck 18 is mounted immediately adjacent and to the right of the bearing member 24, and a similar housing 27 is mounted adjacent and directly to the left of the bearing member 25. A chute 28A which catches the chips is secured to the right of the housing 26, and a similar chute 29 is secured to the left of the housing 27. An I- shaped Vbracket 30 is adjustably secured by means of the bolt 37 on the key-ways 7 and 8 between the housings 26 and 27. T he upper arm 33 of the I-shaped bracket 30 is bored forV its entire length to form a sleeve in which a cylindrical rod 34 is loosely fitted and in which said-rod is free to reciprocate. The rod 34 supports the tapered pins 31 and 32, on the outer end of each of which is mounted a vertical feeding slide. The ta pered pins are mounted in the I-shaped bracket 30 so that the center lines of these pins are in approximate alinement with the center lines of the chucks 17 and 18 and the 4 taps 19 and 20.

The vertical slides are equipped with back plates 38 and 39, said plates being curved at 40 and 41 so that they will assume a position having a slight inclination from the hori,

the blocks 44 and 45. Extending upwardly fromA the edge of the horizontal' portion of the plates 38 and 39 are the walls 57 and 59. These'walls prevent the articles which are fed to the pans from sliding over the edge of the horizontal portion of the plates 38 and 39. Secured to the web of the I-shaped bracket 36 to which is pivotally secured by means of the screw 102 a lever 46 which extends above the arm 33 of the I-shaped bracket. The upper end of said lever 46 is drilled to receive the cylindrical rod- 47 which is positioned with respect to'said lever by means of the adjustable holding blocks 42 and 43. The cylindrical rod 47 is provided with the shoulders 50 and V51, on each of which is mounted a f spiral spring 52 and 53, said springs being compressed between the shoulders 51 and 50 and'permit a higher speed of the reciprocat# i ing feeding mechanism which is independent of the lead of the taps. The retaining strips 60 and 61 which constitute the side walls of the vertical slide are attached to the plate 38 andare so mounted that the space 63 between the'inner edges of these two plates will slidably receive theV nuts fed to the tapping mechanism. 25

Each of these strips 61 and 60 is provided with a shoulder 70 and 71 which hold the nuts against theback plate 38. The backplate 38 and the side strips 60 and 61 consequently form a vertical'slide into which the nuts'may be fed and in which they pile up in a vertical column. This column will be advanced a distance equal tothe width of a nut as the bottom nut of the column isl picked upby` the tap and extracted from 'the slide.v similar vertical slide is fitted to the back plate 39.

Mounted above these feed slides 1s the hopper or storingmeans 80, the bottom surface of which extends beyond the front wall 81 ofthe hopper and terminates in two pan chutes S2 ,and 83 from which the nuts or articles to be tapped arek fed to the vertical feed slides. MidwayV between theV two pan chutesY 82 and 83 is a third chute 84which extends rearwardly into a hopper 85, the walls'of the hopper 85 constituting the means for supporting the hopper 80. I i sheet metal bottom of the hopper 8O and the pan chutes 8 2 and 83 is given a downward inclination so that the articles from the hopper 80 will' .tend toslide down these chutes.

. The 'front wall 81 of'the'hopper is litted with a handle 86 by means of which this front-wallcan be slidably adjusted to vary Y the size of the opening 87 through which the nuts or articles are fed from the hopper to Vthe-'pan'chutes 82 and 83.v The chute 84 is partially surrounded by la wall 90 to prevent the larticles which slide from the hopper 8O down'the'floor of the pan chutes '82 and 83 from 'entering the Vchute 84.V This walldoes not r`extend around to the. front'portion of f the chute 84, and consequently articles can beslid back into this chute up the inclined floor of thepanchutes 821 and 83.

The verticalfeed slides to which thev nuts The one piece are fed are equipped with adjusting screws 89 and 90 for vertical adjustment of the column of nutsV in the vertical feed slides. B v means of these adjustment screws the column of nuts is so adjusted that the center of the holel in the bottom nut is in aliuement with the center of the taps 20 and 19. The strips 60 and 61 of each feed slide are fitted with spring pressed spurs 91 and 92. These serve to hold the nut located in the bottom of the column in the vertical slide in position. This is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of the chuck and shows the method of oating the tap in the chuck. The tap is curved at substantially right angles and is Heated in a cavity in vthe chuck, the nuts passing from the threaded end of the tap over the shank from which theyare ejected into the hopper 2G. The end nut on the shank of the tap is held in position between the plates 93 and 94 which are slidably mounted on the chuck 48 by the screws 95 and 9G and which are drawn toward each other by the spiral springs 97 and 98. As each nut is picked up from the slide and run on to the threaded portion of the tap, the column of nuts on the shank of the tap, as shown in Fig. G, is forced along the shank,v and the nut at the end of the shank is forced out between the spring pressed plaies 93 and 94 and dropped into the hopper 26.

The rod 47 which carries with it the feeding apparatus is reciprocated by the lever 46. Thisreciprocating movement is controlled by the cam 97 secured to the shaft 2l which is rotated by means of the train of gears in the housing 35 from the shaft 12. 'I he cam 97 is equipped with a cam slot 99 in which a cam pin 100 rides, the cam pin 100 being secured to the lower arm 101 of the lever arm 46. Consequently as the cam shaft 21 is rotated: the piu 100 will move in the cam slotV 99, thereby oscillating the lever 4U about the fulcrum screw 102 and reciprocating the rod 47 and its associated feeding mechanism7 the Y rod 34 reciproca-ting in the sleeve 33. The

feeding apparatus is thus reciprocated to and fro between the taps 19 and 20.

In the operation of the machine the hopper 80 is `filled with nuts or articles to be tapped. The operator in starting the niachine will raise the front wall of the hopperl 81 a distance sufficient to cause the nuts to slide down the inclined bottom of the hopper at the desired rate. The nuts are slid down the pan chutes 82 and 83 with the aid of the operator and in doing this the operator will inspect the nutsfor defective ones which vmight break the tap if allowed to enter the vertical feed chutes. All nuts of this type are fed back by the operator to the chute 84 from which they are dropped into the defective uut hopper 85. All other nuts will fall from the pan chutes 82 and 83 into tenerte@ the horizontal parts of the vertical slides and from there, due to the vibration of the hoppers as they oscillate to and fro between the taps, the nuts will slide down the pans 82 and 83 integral with the Vertical feed slides and take a position required for the tapping operation in these slides. As each nut -takes this position it will slide down and pile up in the slides. As the hopper moves toward each tap,V the tap will engage the nutin the lowest position of the slide and the nut will berun on the tap. After the nut is run on it is extracted from the vertical feed slide by the return movement of the feeding mechanism, and the weight of the column 0f nuts in the slide forces another nut into the tapping position. lonsequently with each movement of the hoppers a nut is run on to the tap and a nut is forced into position to be tapped, two nuts being tapped for each complete oscillation. T hel chips from the tapping operation drop into the chutes 28 and 29 and may becollected .in a suitable receptacle. previously stated, thetaps used are of the bent type. As the nuts are tapped they are pushed over the shank of the tap 'by others which are run on 'the threaded portion of the tap, and consequently the tapped nuts are gradually fed along the shank tof the tap and are finally dropped off from the free end of the shank. The plates 93 and 94 in coperation with the last nut-on the shank of the tap serve to steady and also cushion the tap.l They also serve to feed the nuts oneat a tiinefrom the free end ofthe shank of the tap into the hoppers Q6 and 27. The machine is driven byany suitable Vmeans of power which may be applied to the cone pulleys it) and 16.

ln the preferred embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described it has been adapted to a machine for tapping nuts,l but it will be obvious that it might likewise Y be utilized for drilling articles and that it is capable of many variations and applications without departing from its spirit and scope as expressed in the appended. claims.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a vdevice of the character described, the combination with a tapping means, of a. stationary means forstoring articles to be tapped, an article carrying chute reciprocating between. said tapping means which automatically feeds the articles to said tapping means, one for each stroke thereof, resilient means interposed between said tapping means and said articles whereby the speed of said article carrying chute is independent of the lead of said tapping means, and means for automatically ejecting the articles after they have been tapped.

2. A machine for tapping articles comprising in combination, a tapping means, a

stationary article storing means, an auto matic guiding means which may be recip- Vstoringineans, means for guiding articles from the vrocated between said tapping `means into which the articles are delivered from said storing means and which automatically feeds said articles to said tapping means, one for ,each stroke thereof, resilient means interposed between said tapping means and saidv guiding means whereby the speed of said guiding means is independent of the lead of A said tapping means, and means for auto- .matically ejecting the articles after they operating said reciprocating means whereby an article is automatically fed to the tap ateach stroke of said means, and a resilient means interposed between said taps and said reciprocating means whereby the speed of said reciprocating means is independent of the lead of said tapping mean t. A machine for tapping articles coinprising in combination, a stationary article the articles from said storing means, a reciprocating mechanism which receives the articles from said guiding means, a tap mounted at each end of said reciprocating mechanism, means for operating said reciprocating mechanism whereby an article is automatically fed toV one of said taps at eacli stroke of said mechanism,a resilient means interposed betweensaid taps and said reciprocating mechanism, and means for automatically ejecting the slianks of said taps.

5. A machine for tapping articles comprising in combination, a tapping device, a stationary article storing means, a recipro` eating. article carrying means for automatically feeding the articles to the tappingV device, one for each stroke thereof, means intermediate said storing means and said feeding means to guide the articles from said storing means to said feeding means said tapping device coperating with said feeding means forV tapping the articles, a resilient cushion interposed between said tapping device and said feeding means, and means for automatically ejecting the articles after they havepbeen tapped.

6. A machine for tapping nuts comprising in combination, a pair of rotating taps, reciprocating means placed intermediate said taps for automatically feeding nuts to said taps, a resilient means interposed between said taps and said reciprocating means, a stationary storing means from which the nuts are fed to said reciprocating means, and means for reciprocating said means between said taps.

'l'. A machine for tapping nuts comprising Vstationary nut 'storing' means, a feeding means for vautomatically feeding the nuts ,to the taps, means for guiding the "nuts from said storing means to said feeding means, a shiftable means for mounting'said feeding means, means for shifting said last-meno tionedA means between said taps to feedthe nuts to said taps, and a resilient means interposed between'said taps and said shifting means which acts as a cushion between said taps and said shifting means and thereby y protects thetaps.

"9.' Amachine for tapping nuts comprising in combination, a pair of rotatabletaps, a

. Y stationary-hopper for storing nuts to be tapped, a-vertical slide for feeding .the nuts to the taps, a chute for feeding the nuts from said storing means to said vertical slide, a reciprocating ymeans for mounting said vertical slide feeding means, a ,camv for reciprocating said vertical side feeding means between said taps to automatically feed the nuts to the taps, and a resilient means interposed kbetween said taps and said feeding means whereby the speed of said reciprocating feeding means is independent ofthe lead l Uopiesqof this patent may be Pbtained for of said taps. c

10. Armachine for tapping nuts comprising in combination, a stationary storing h `L -mea-ns, an automatic n-ut eedmg means, a.

pair of rotatable taps, means for reciprocating said feeding means between said taps Y whereby a nut is automatically fed to a tap Y cally ejecting said nuts from said shank.

11. A machine for tapping nuts comprising in combinatioma hopper for storing the nuts, meansto which the nuts are fed from said storing mea-ns said means comprising three chutes, a hopper for receivimg` defective nuts connecting with one of said chutes, a pair of nutfeeding devices associated with the other two chutes, a pair of rotating taps, a reciprocating member for mounting said nut feeding devices, means for reciprocating said member between said taps, and mounting means for said taps whereby the nuts will be automatically ejected from said taps.

12. A machine for tapping nuts comprising a pair of rotatable taps, a stationary hopper for storing the nuts, a reciprocating means into which the nuts are. fed from said hopper which automatically feeds the nuts to said taps, a resilient cushion interposed between said reciprocating means and said taps, a receiving means into which the nuts are automatically ejected after being tapped, and means for receiving and collecting the metal chips resulting' from the tapping oper ation.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 22d day of July, A. D. 1916.

DAVID LEVINGER. OLOF ANDERSON.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of atents,

Washngtoml). C. 

